UAE’s first online casino-sportsbook live and functional
Play971 has gone fully live, marking the launch of the United Arab Emirates’ first legally authorised online casino and sports betting platform under a newly established regulatory framework.
The platform became fully operational on Monday, December 15, after receiving approval from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), and is now accepting real money bets from eligible users located inside the UAE.
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Play971 is operated by Abu Dhabi-based Coin Technology Projects LLC, which holds licences covering both internet gaming and sports wagering.
Regulatory records show the licence was granted ahead of a limited rollout in late November, before the site moved to full national availability this week. The approval represents the 19th licence issued by the GCGRA since its creation in September 2023, following earlier authorisations for the UAE Lottery and Wynn Resorts’ integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Play971 introduces a regulated online betting environment overseen by UAE authorities, covering casino-style games and sporting markets, including horse racing. Access is restricted to users aged 21 and over who are physically within the country, with strict controls on location masking, VPN use, and eligibility based on residency and risk screening.
In the UAE, gambling has long been a topic of discussion, given that it is incredibly popular, but is also frowned upon in Islamic scriptures, a religion that makes up 75 per cent of their population.
But lawmakers have acknowledged they need to diversify their economy away from oil and make it more attractive as a tourist destination, hence legalizing forms of gambling and opening the country’s first integrated resort.
It remains to be seen whether
